Student protester and activists’ demands have been met by the university administration and students have chosen to end their occupation of the fourth floor of the LBJ Student Center.
As of 1 p.m. April 13, protesters and organizers had occupied the space for over 48 hours. The occupation of the space was in response to the failed impeachment trial of Student Government President Connor Clegg after not meeting quorum.
Representatives of the group met with Provost Gene Bourgeois about the list of demands. Following the meeting, administrators released a series of tweets detailing their commitment to answering the students’ demands.
Tafari Robertson, public relations senior, said he is proud of the opportunity to hold administrators accountable and is looking forward to the energy the group built up over the past two days.
“I do feel like we have something to hold them accountable to,” Robertson said. “I do not think we have given up power, we are going to move forward in a state of protest until Friday, when they really prove, what they are going to do about it.”
The protesters chose to end their occupation after a majority vote of 41-18 to leave the space at 11 p.m. April 13.
“This isn’t the end, this is not us giving up and this is not us pretending that this school will suddenly be better for us,” Robertson said. “It’s really up to the administrators to prove that they are worth anything at this point.”
Should the collective demands not be met fully by university administration, the collective is prepared to either reoccupy the space or escalate the situation.
Robertson said this kind of response to a sit-in from the administration is unprecedented at Texas State. In 1969, a sit-in was held at the fighting stallion statue to protest the Vietnam war that resulted in the suspension of 10 Southwest Texas State students.
The group was able to organize the protest, a press conference and meet with university officials in a matter of two days.